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Nanoparticles, which measure one billionth of a metre, are found in tennis
racquets, special non-sweat socks, medicines, sunscreen and paints.

Researchers writing in the European Respiratory Journal said nanoparticles
were found deep in the lungs of the women who fell ill.

The study, by a team led by Yuguo Song, of the Occupational Disease and
Clinical Toxicology Department at Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing, said all of
the women were admitted to hospital for respiratory problems over the course
of a few months, accompanied by itchy eruptions of the skin on the face and
arms.

They were found to have a build-up of liquid around their heard and lungs
which could not be treated.

A chemical in the paint, the patients' lung tissue and the liquid surrounding
the lungs were all found to contain nanoparticles.

According to Yuguo Song, these particles must originate in the
polyacrylate-based paints used by the women at work.

Researchers at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, together with the Chinese Centre for
Disease Control, carried out an investigation

"The workers, of peasant origin, were also completely unaware of
workplace health and safety regulations and of the potential toxicity of the
materials they were handling", explains Yuguo Song. "Their only
protection, used sporadically, was cotton gauze masks."

He added: "It is clear that the symptoms, the examination results and the
progress of the disease in our patients differ markedly from respiratory
pathologies induced by paint inhalation."

He said the lung condition continued to develop even after the women were no
longer exposed to the paint and no other people fell ill after the machinery
at the factory was shut down.

Although the authors cannot be certain the nanoparticles caused the illness
but said: "We call on scientists throughout the world to work together
and address this new challenge."

Dr Andrew Maynard, Chief Science Advisor, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies
at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in Washington DC,
said the researchers have not identified what the nanoparticles involved are
made from or how much the patients had inhaled.

Nonetheless, he said: "This is the first clear case where there is an
association between someone breathing in nanoparticles in the workplace and
getting seriously ill. People should take this very seriously. The
international research community should be galvanised by this."

He said there should be renewed efforts to examine workplace exposure to
nanoparticles and ensure it is kept to a minimum.